


Pandora Black and Helping Harry With the Chamber

by MicroFox25



Series: Pandora Black [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Au: Sirius has a child, Chamber of Secrets AU, POV Original Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-06 23:52:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11611560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MicroFox25/pseuds/MicroFox25
Summary: Second year is here, and with that comes a whole new lesson for Pandora to learn: Where is she from? While helping Harry deal with the elusive Chamber of Secrets, she seeks to find out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said, this one is going to have alot more details, but there are going to be things missing because Pandora wasn't there.

For the first time since Pandora Black was small, she was lonely. She didn't have normal friends, only those that she made in school. She didn't have an owl of her own, so she had to wait until someone wrote to her before she could send a letter. She didn't know anyone's address, so she couldn't even mail letters the muggle way. 

 

She had visited Harry a total of two times this summer. The first time it was at her house. She showed him her room and they played a bunch of muggle games that he'd never even heard of then ate sandwiches outside in the back yard, and he looked like he was going to cry when they let him chose his own fillings. 

 

Next, it was at his house and he was nervous to let her inside. It was pristine and almost shiny as they walked into the kitchen. Vernon was at work, so Petunia was the only adult. She met the the fat cousin named Dudley for a moment before he ran away into his room. They had to spend the whole time inside his room and eventually, while comparing wands for nothing better to do- she always kept hers with her, even if she wasn't allowed to use it; Dudley got brave enough to walk in, probably with the intention of bullying Harry, but saw the wands. He ran to his mum and she kicked Pandora out before locking away all of Harry’s magic stuff. Her parents weren't happy to find that out. 

 

Pandora sighed as she looked over at the window, willing a crisp white bird to appear. With no luck, she stood up from her bed, stuffing her wand into her boot, walking outside. It was raining before, so everything was soggy and puddles of mud were dotting the road. Her birthday was coming up soon and she didn't celebrate last year. August 10th was her birthday. Four weeks. It was exactly twenty eight days until she was twelve. 

 

Twelve years old and on her way to becoming a witch. Her wand, as dark as her name, never left her side. She slept with it under her pillow and left It on the sink when she showered and when she was out, it was in her boot. 

 

Wands were made to siphon magics energy so that their magic doesn't go everywhere. When Pandora was a kid, she used to do magic without a wand. Could she still? 

 

She crouched down to the water puddle below her. She put her hand in the water and thought as hard as she could, the hot air charm that was in her  _ Advanced Defensive Charms and Spells _ book. It was written as a footnote, so she assumed that it was useful. Her once did it with a wand, but wandless magic was said to be harder, wasn't it? Harder than silent casting. 

 

She thought the incantation and used the movements over and over again.  _ Come on, hot air. _ She thought to herself. Nothing seemed to be working. 

 

She tried. She did the hand movement, but nothing happened. Sighing, she stood and began to walk after drying her hand on her skirt. She walked around until she found the woods.  _ If no one sees and I don't cast any spells _ she thought, _ can I get my wand out? _ A test, if you would, she pulled out her wand and walked to the forest. Deeper inside, she was reminded of Hogwarts’ forbidden forest. That's where her and Harry saw Voldemort in his weakened, parasitic state, stuck on the back of the head of their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. 

  
  


She ran around, fighting fake enemies for a while before getting bored and stuffing it back in her boot and walking back out. On the way home, she stepped into each puddle, enjoying the splash of a pattern she long memorized, before she was slightly disappointed when one didn't splash. 

 

Looking down, she noticed that the puddle was completely dry. None of the other puddles were, so it confused her greatly. 

 

That is, until she heard an owl screech over her head. She looked up to see an owl she immediately recognized as a Hogwarts Owl.  She ran, jumping over the small fence into her yard. Misjudging the distance and mud, when she landed, she didn't land straight and slid, falling into a large patch of mud. 

 

Laughing out loud, she rolled over, sitting up and straightening her clothes. She slid off her boots, grabbed her wand, and ran inside. “I saw the owl, mum!” When Kelly Riter came into the room, her smile dropped. 

 

“What did you do?” She gasped. Pandora looked down at herself, smiling. 

 

“I slipped. It's okay. I'll clean it.” she reached for the envelope in her mum's hands, but it was pulled away. 

 

“Clean first, then you get your letter.” She nodded and ran up the stairs, peeling off her clothes before stepping into the shower, wand on the sink. She sighed into the warmth, cleaning her hair especially before stepping out and dressing, walking back down stairs. Her hair was long enough that she put it in a loose ponytail. 

 

When her mum gave her the letter, she peeled away the wax insignia that she now knew as belonging to Hogwarts. She hugged her mother tightly.

 

“We'll go tomorrow. Tonight, we want to tell you something.” She buzzed with excitement. Retreating to her room, Pandora found herself looking at a photo album that her mother gave her. 

 

Inside was pictures of her parents wedding, and they looked happy. The dress her mother was wearing wasn't white, but rather pale pink, while her father's suit was lilac. They were surrounded by friends and looked completely in love as they looked in each other's eyes. 

 

The next was the first time that they picked up Pandora. She was only a few years old and was smiling as she looked around the room. The next time was when they were signing the adoption papers. After, which, they went to the ice cream shoppe and bought Pandora any flavor she wanted. 

 

By the time she was done, it was nighttime. “Pandora, sweetheart, can you come here?” excitement bubbling inside her again, she closed the book, running down the stairs. Her dad was there, still covered in grease from his job as a mechanic. They sat her down and sat across from her. “We wanted to talk to you.”

 

“No, we don't want you to make the decision immediately. You could take as long as you want to answer.” Howard explained. She noticed that his tanned face had smudges of grease all the way to his forehead.

 

“You're turning twelve this year, and we were thinking and talking. You know we already adopted you.” She nodded, unsure where this was going. “We were wondering, would you… would you want to take our last name?” She didn't understand. Was her last name not good? Sure the students reacted bad, but that wasn't her fault. It sounded really cool. 

  
“You don't have to answer. It would be best if you thought about it actually.” she nodded absently before robotically standing and walking to her room. 


	2. Chapter 2

She sighed at the sign in the window of the book store. She had decided to get her books first since she still was rather short and didn't need new robes. She only needed the books and wanted to buy magical scrunchies that never broke or stretched out. Her hair was down to her shoulders and she didn't want to cut it. 

 

**GILDEROY LOCKHART**

**will be signing copies of his autobiography**

**MAGICAL ME**

**Today 12:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.**

 

Already, a large crowd gathered and wasn't moving. Tired of waiting, she looked back to see her mother watching her. The crowd wasn't moving, so she pushed her way in, practically crawling under people. 

 

“Excuse me! Student coming through. I actually need books here. I'm not waiting for some famous magical ponce.” She groaned as someone elbowed her. “Watch it!” When she finally made it to the clearing, she huffed and straightened her clothes. “Damn rude, is what you people are.” she bit as she walked towards the counter. 

 

Pandora explained her year and was given books accordingly, turning to walk out. That's when she noticed familiar black hair that stuck up in every angle. He looked uncomfortable and embarrassed as Gilderoy Lockhart was talking. “...extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to…” She motioned for the front door and he nodded. She'd wait for him there. 

 

When he finally managed to pull himself away- looking significantly more frazzled than usual- he hugged her tightly. He had given his signed books to Ginny- Ron Weasley’s younger sister- and turned to talk to Pandora, but she head a familiar voice behind her. 

 

“Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter?” Draco Malfoy sneered. “Famous Potter can't even go to a bookstore without making front page.” Pandora rolled her eyes. 

 

“He’s just jealous, Harry.” Everything calmed down and she thought she diffused the situation, until Ginny spoke up. 

 

“Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!” Pandora groaned inwardly as Harry’s eyes widened.

 

“Potter, you've got yourself a  _ girlfriend _ .” Malfoy said with a drawl. Ginny turned a wonderful shade of scarlet. She didn't want to be here, so she found her way to Molly Weasley. She was gushing about Lockhart, but it was better than dealing with Malfoy. Someone else appeared, and in fear of Harry’s safety, she walked back over. She made it over just as the red hair of Arthur flew by, attacking someone who looked suspiciously like Draco. 

 

Her eyes were wide as they fought. Like muggles. She was jolted aside as Hagrid made his way over, pulling them apart. They were both in bad shape when Malfoy Sr. Basically threw the book in Ginny’s cauldron. He said something, but Pandora wasn't paying attention. She only grabbed Harry’s sleeve as they all filed out of the shop. It was at this moment that Pandora officially met the twins. 

 

Fred and George they were, and she could barely tell them apart. Concentrating hard, she was able to see that George’s eyes were slightly bigger, but it was very hard to tell. 

 

Back with her parents, they were standing nearby, her mum holding something behind her dad's back. “So, your father and i have been talking and after debating for a long time, we decided to get you an early birthday present. She buzzed with excitement again, hoping it was chocolate. Pandora loved chocolate. 

 

Instead of chocolate, she gasped as it was revealed. A small kitten the size of her mother's palm was curled up. It was brown and tan, like tiger stripes and when it was shifted into her open palms, it snuggled into her hand before opening it's eyes and looking at her, giving her a broken mewl. 

 

She looked at her parents with tears in her eyes before looking back at the small animal. “She's a Bengal Cat and it's up to you to name her.” Her dad said. She couldn't stop the tears from clouding her eyes at the small kitten. 

 

“Ria.” Pandora cried. “Her name is Ria.” 

 

Back at home, she laid on her bed with Ria on his chest. As she stroked the soft fur, the kitten began its broken purring. She looked over to the book on her bed that was given to her with Ria. It was how to train her. 

 

She already know the basics about where to use the bathroom, where to eat, how to get her attention, but that was all she knew. She spent the rest of the summer break teaching Ria to come when she made a kiss noise and snapped her fingers. She heard it on the TV once. Thinking it was interesting, she instilled it on the intelligent cat. Steadily growing out of her baby size, Ria was beginning to be her favorite present ever. 

 

She couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts, though. She was excited to get to try out the magic she was practicing. She was planning on talking to her teachers about extra lessons. Sure she had the book, but it only taught her so much. 

 

She still hadn't figured out where the book even came from. Pandora had reason to believe it was from Dumbledore, like Harry’s invisibility cloak, but there was no way to tell. 

 

“Hey mum.” She said, walking into the kitchen where her mum and dad were making dinner. Pandora had Ria in her hands as she walked. They usually did it together. Dad said that it keeps their relationship alive, whatever that meant. 

 

“Yes, Pandora.” She said from the stove. 

 

“Do you think wizards have things like police officers as well? I know they have professors and Healers and they use owl post for mail, but do you think they have like, a police force?”

 

“Well, since there are bad wizards like there are bad…” She waved her hand around, searching for the word.

 

“Muggles.”

 

“Yea. Since there are bad wizards like there are bad muggles, you'd think so, wouldn't you?”

 

“Yea, but I've never seen one.”

 

“Isn't that a good thing? That means you haven't done anything wrong.”

 

“That makes sense.” She walked next to the stove. “I am gonna miss your food.” She explained as she looked over the spicy chicken that was currently being fried. 

 

“I could send it to you.”

 

“Nah, that'll just take away the magic of eating it on special days.” Her mum laughed happily. 

 

“So you want me to only send it on special days?” 

 

“For Christmas, I want chicken and dumplings.” 

 

“And Double Chocolate cake.”

  
“Of course.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are welcome :) Tell me what you liked (Or didn't like, that's okay too) about it.


	3. Chapter 3

She met with Ginny on the train. She sat with Pandora because she had nowhere else to sit. Hermione came in later, sitting across from Pandora, making her face heat up. When a ditsy looking girl walked past, Ginny called out to her, calling her Luna. She sat in the compartment as well. She introduced herself. “My name is Luna Lovegood.” Pandora smiled, brightly. She was about to say her name, but hesitated. If Ginny was her friend, she could trust Luna not to react to her name, right?

 

“Pandora Black.”

 

“That was my mother's name.” she said, airily. “It means ‘all gifted’ you know?” 

 

“That's cool.”

 

Ria jumped over to Ginny as soon as she sat down and the redhead instantly started to pet the feline.

 

Pandora was saving the seat for Harry and Ron, but she guessed they could squeeze in, or find a different place.  They were in one of the first rooms. Pandora was here early so she chose this one. They could watch if anyone walked through. 

 

When the train started moving without her seeing Harry or Ron, she stood up. Hermione was right behind her as she looked around the train. She found a group of Gryffindor boys, so she opened the door. “Have any of you seen Harry?” Hermione cleared her throat. “Or Ron?” 

 

Neville, she thought his name was, spoke up. “No. Sorry.” she looked all the way until the train car where the Slytherins gathered. Deciding that no, Harry wouldn't be with Slytherins, she turned back and walked to their original compartment. Luna and Ginny were sitting next to each other so Pandora had to sit next to Hermione. 

 

“My dad is the editor.” Luna said, in a dreamy voice. 

 

“To what?” Pandora asked as she sat down. 

 

“The Quibbler.” She explained as she handed Pandora a magazine. It was filled with articles of creatures she had never heard of. When she adjusted for comfort, Ria came back, arching her tiny back into Pandora's hand. She scratched at Ria’s ear while reading about something called a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

 

“She loves you, you know.” Someone in a dreamy voice explained. She looked up from the magazine to see Luna looking at Ria. 

 

“Yea?” 

 

“She really likes when you pet her behind her ear.” Pandora did that, and Ria pushed her head against her hand. Pandora handed the magazine back and lifted Ria, pressing her nose to Ria’s. 

 

“I'm sure she does.” Pandora finally said.

 

They sat talking for a long time, before the sun began to go down and the train lights went on. “We should change into our school robes.” Hermione explained. They did, Pandora looking out the window as she did. She noticed that the sky was very clear so she could watch the stars. 

 

“You're connected to the stars.” She looked back at the blonde, who was looking fairly spaced out as she looked in Pandora's direction. “I can see it around you.” 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Your magic. It swirls around the stars. Canis Major to be precise.” Luna nodded to herself, as if affirming herself. She thought canis major. She thought of the fact that she loved the stars, they calmed her. Could it be because she was connected to them? When she tuned into the conversation, Hermione was talking. 

 

“And we get to chose our classes for next year.”

 

“Like in muggle school?” Pandora asked. “But the classes would obviously be different.” Hermione chuckled at that. She began explaining how muggle school worked, then Pandora and Hermione began to talk about muggle music. 

 

They spent the time talking until the castle came into view. Suddenly, Harry came into her mind again. As they climbed into the self-drawn carriage, she started to bite her nails- a nervous habit that she didn't have very often. Maybe she'd see him in the hall?

 

“Ms. Black.” She heard as she walked into the building. Madam Pomfrey was in the doorway, so she walked to the woman. “When you're done with the welcome feast, come by the infirmary. You can get your potion.” Pandora nodded and found her way back to the Great Hall. She felt something prickling the back of her neck, so she turned around to see Draco Malfoy watching her. She used her finger, moving down her eyelid, sticking out her tongue. 

 

It was a muggle childish insult, so she didn't figure he knew about it, but it was still satisfying to do. She sat next to Pandora, her only Ravenclaw friend, and waited for the sorting. 

 

She cheered when Luna was sorted into Ravenclaw, and Luna found her quickly, sitting on the other side of her. She looked over to the Gryffindor table, but neither Harry nor Ron were next to Hermione. For dinner, she ate as much as she could, filling her belly with as much food as she could. 

 

After the feast, she retreated to the Infirmary. The trip was long and silent, save for a ghost roaming around. She had reason to believe it was Peeves, but she wasn't sure. Either way, it was silent until she heard a scuffle behind her. Pandora looked behind her, but saw nothing there. Pulling her wand out and into her sleeve, she turned around and began walking again. When she was sure that she heard it again, she snapped around, pulling her wand. “ _ Petrificus Totalus. _ ” She was satisfied when she heard something fall to the ground. Pandora ran over to see Slytherin robes and white hair. She crouched down to him. “I would ask why you're following me, but with you like this, it's pretty pointless, isn't it?” Malfoy looked at her and if he could glare, she was pretty sure he would. Didn't want him to be discovered quickly, so she decided to pull his rigid form to an alcove in the wall. She patted his shoulder and stood, walking away. 

 

Madam Pomfrey was already there, prepared with a bottle of Calming Draught. She made a note to study more about the potion, and how it could've been adjusted to stretch over the week. It had a distinctly bad taste, but she shrugged it off, and taking her excuse slip. It was a shiny piece of golden paper, which had the words “Astronomy Tower” in dark blue lettering. 

  
“Is that all?” She asked politely. The nurse was just smiling gently at her. She returned the smile and walked out, following the same path. When she saw Draco wasn't in the alcove anymore, she figured that someone already found him and released him. She sighed again. “Gonna have so many problems with Slytherins it's not even funny.” 


	4. Chapter 4

She met Harry in the hall at breakfast the next day. She was reading the  _ Daily Prophet _ that she borrowed from Hermione when she saw news of a flying car. When Harry and Ron walked in, she walked over and started talking, but neither of them responded. She didn't understand why until later when an owl flew in, dropping a crimson red envelope onto the Gryffindor table. She turned with Interest to said table. 

 

“STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, WAIT TILL I GET AHOLD OF YOU,  I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE-”

 

Pandora covered her ears, refusing to listen. It was hurting her ear drums and giving her a slight headache. When the letter was done screaming, she sighed and walked back over. Ron looked absolutely horrified, pale and wide eyed, while Harry looked like he wanted to melt into the floor. 

 

She tried to comfort him, but nothing worked. Pandora ended up just resigning to the fact that Harry and Ron did something wrong. 

 

_ They flew to Hogwarts in a car _ ! She had that thought in her head when she made her way to charms class. 

 

After relearning what she didn't forget over the summer, Pandora walked up to the teacher's desk. “Yes, Ms. Black?” Professor Flitwick squeaked. 

 

“I was wondering if there was… any way if I could possibly do more.”

 

“More?” 

 

“Extra classes. More charms. Better defense. Even some offense if it's acceptable.”

 

“This is about last year with Mr. Potter, isn't it?” Sheepishly, she nodded. 

 

“He's just a kid.”

 

“So are you.”

 

“He's being attacked by a dark wizard.” She defended. 

 

“That is true, but he's not here anymore.”

 

“No, but he was last year. Who's to say that he doesn't find some other way to come back?”

 

“That's quite impossible.”

 

“is it?” She asked, looking at him. He was nervous. “I mean, he was supposed to have been dead twelve years ago, but here he was. Just last year. Attached to someone's head.” Flitwick seemed hesitant, so she sat down on the chair in front of his desk. “He could just come back. Magic is weird like that isn't it?” 

 

“It's not possible to bring someone back to life.”

 

“Then how did Vol- You-know-who do it?” Pandora had to remember that most wizards and witches didn't like hearing his name. 

 

“I don't know.”

 

“So, just in case, wouldn't it be good to maybe learn how to defend myself and our very own boy-who-lived incase he does come back?” Flitwick sighed. 

 

“You will learn during your breaks on every other day, starting tomorrow.” She jumped up, squealing. 

 

“Thank you, thank you!” When Pandora ran out, she ran right into another person. “Sorry. So sorry.”

 

“You will do well to watch where you're going, Ms. Black.” Professor McGonagall told her sternly.

 

“Yes, Professor.” she moved away letting the teacher walk away. Her next class was Defense Against the Dark Arts and Pandora was planning on asking the new teacher for special lessons, until she walked in and saw the familiar face. “Oh, god. No.”

 

Someone pushed past her- a fellow Ravenclaw- and walked right to the front of the class. Lockhart was standing there, smiling brightly at a picture _ of himself _ which was smiling back. Rolling her eyes, she sat in the front, on the left side, next to the walkway. She could only hope that the teacher was more than looks, but actual experience. Looking over his books, she sure thought so. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. 

 

When he started the class, she instantly was disappointed. He tested them on his books. The personal points if his books. With questions like  _ What is Gilderoy Lockhart’s favorite color? _ She knew she wasn't going to be educated in this class at all. She answered with completely random answers, not even fully invested in doing that. 

 

When class was finally over, she had a free period, so she took her Advanced Defensive Charms and Spells book and made her way to an empty classroom. 

 

With her wand in hand, she aimed at a chair. Concentrating, she called out “ _ Confringo.” _ then jumped when the chair exploded into uncountable pieces. “So, maybe this isn't the best place…” 

 

“No, Ms. Black. Destroying furnishings isn't the best thing.” She turned around to see Professor McGonagall standing with her arms crossed in the doorway.  

 

“Oh, I'm so sorry. I was just-”

 

“Learning spells that aren't in the second year curriculum.” She interrupted. “If you're going to be breaking the rules,” Pandora ducked her head, looking at the floor. “At least do it where no one will get in the way.” 

 

“What?” 

 

“Follow me, Ms. Black.” So, ashamed and confused, she did. They made it all the way to the seventh floor before Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a wall. “If want you to pass by this wall three times, thinking of what you need.” With her lips pursed, giving no room for argument, McGonagall motioned to the wall. 

 

She passed by it.  _ I want a place to safely practice spells. _ When she looked at McGonagall, the woman was looking at her expectantly.  _ I want a place to safely practice spells _ . She passed it again, then again,  _ I want a place to safely practice spells. _

 

When Pandora looked up, a door had appeared. She looked at the woman before walking in. She immediately recognized a training room, filled with dummies for practice, books on spells and incantations, and targets. “With these plans of yours, I hope you can keep Mr. Potter and his friends out of trouble.” she smiled back at the old teacher. 

 

“I make no promises.”

 

“Just to keep him safe then?” McGonagall turned to leave, but stopped. “Please do well not to let this room become common knowledge. We can't have students disappearing.”

 

“Tell no one. Got it.” When the teacher walked away, she opened her book, going back to the spell, looking at the note. 

 

“ _ The larger the movement with the wand, the more powerful the spell.” _

 

She tested the theory my first, not moving her wand. “ _ Confringo.” _ and the dummy exploded. Next, turning to the next dummy, she gave a great wave of her wand, “ _ Confringo _ .” And she had to cover her eyes it was so bright. 

 

Pandora studied and practiced spells, most of which were severely explosive, until it was time for her next class: herbology. 

 

She knew next to nothing about Mandrakes, but the points were made up with success in transferring them. So far, it seemed like this would be a rather peaceful year. 


	5. Chapter 5

_ Of course not _ . 

 

The day started with Hermione, Ron and her waiting for Harry in the stands. It was barely morning and Pandora sat there, unable to keep her eyes open. She had practiced with Flitwick, then herself in the training room until it was far too late for her to be able to say she got lost. When she made her way back, she was caught by Filtch, so she said that she was going to the Astronomy tower and gave him the paper. As he walked away, he grumbled and cursed, so, not wanting to waste the paper, she did. 

 

She spent the night mapping out the stars, watching the bright balls of gas with a calming breath in her lungs. 

 

When the sky began to turn pink and the stars lost their visibility, she pulled herself up to the Ravenclaw Tower. Outside, Luna was there, sitting on the floor. “Why are you out here, Luna?”

 

“I can't figure out the password.” She said, simply. 

 

“ _ How long _ have you been out here?” 

 

“Since after dinner. Later, actually. I've been here a while.”

 

She walked to the portrait. “ _ What question can never be answered with a Yes? _ ” 

 

“That question.” She blurted. Both Luna and the portrait looked at her strangely. 

 

“Explain.”

 

“Well, for the answer to be or not be yes, it would have to be a yes or no question, right? S-so a question like ‘What question couldn't ever be yes’ would have to be answered with something that isn't yes or no. So technically that answer couldn't be yes.” The portrait seemed content and opened. 

 

“That was a smart answer.” Luna said as she stood and walked into the hole. When Pandora crashed down on the bed, she fell asleep almost instantly, before being shaken awake. 

 

“What time is it?” 

 

“about eight o'clock.” Padma explained. “Hermione is in the Great Hall looking for you.”

 

She groaned and pulled herself up, and pet Ria before walking to the Great Hall. From there, they went to watch Harry practice Quidditch. In the stands next to them, Collins Creevey was taking pictures and it was probably horribly distracting. 

 

When the group saw green robes in the distance, everyone fled the stands to go see what was wrong. She nearly tripped down the stairs, but eventually caught up with the others. Malfoy was there, looking just as smug as usual. 

 

“At least no one on Gryffindor had to buy their way in.” Hermione said. “ _ They _ got in on pure talent.”

 

“No one asked your opinion.” Malfoy spat. “You filthy little mudblood.” 

 

All hell broke loose around Pandora. People were yelling and pulling out their wands, others were throwing threats, and the Slytherin captain had to jump between the Weasley twins and Malfoy. All at once, a loud bang blasted through the stadium and all eyes turned to Ron, who was on the ground. Just then, Pandora noticed that his wand was taped together.  _ That can't be good. _

 

When asked if he was alright, instead of answering, Ron spewed out a fat slimy slug. Nearly gagging at the sight, Pandora helped Harry lift their friend. “Let's go to Hagrid’s. It's closest.” They carried him to the small hut, where he was given a bucket to spit up slugs in. 

 

On the way, they saw Gilderoy Lockhart and judging by the way they hid, Harry didn't like him either. “Better out than in.” Hagrid explained. 

 

“I don't think there's anything else to do but wait for it to stop.” Hermione explained. They talked for a moment while Fang sniffed her. He was probably smelling Ria on her, as the feline liked to sit with her when she was studying or sitting in the room. She gave him a pat to the head. 

 

“Malfoy called Hermione something- it must've been really bad because everyone went wild.” Harry explained. 

 

“It was bad. Malfoy called her a ‘mudblood,’ Hagrid-” And with that, Ron barfed up more slugs. 

 

“He did. I don't know what it means.”

 

“It had to be bad though because everyone went crazy.” Pandora said, still petting Fang. 

 

“It's about the most insulting thing he could think of.” Ron said between slugs. “Mudblood is a foul name for someone who is Muggle-born.” Hermione pulled in a gasp. “There are some wizards who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood.” 

 

“That's ridiculous.” Pandora gasped, looking at her friends. “Why would your blood make any difference of what kind of witch or wizard you are.”

 

“My family is pure-blood.” She wondered, if Malfoy was so easy to insult and he knew about her family more than she did, if he knew her mother as well. What if she's actually pure-blood? From what Padma said about the House of Black, they believed in keeping the pureblood traditions, so her father was a pure-blood. What about her mother though? Logically, she would be pure-blood because of the Black traditions, right?

 

“I can see the cogs in your head overworking.” Harry said on the way back. She looked up to see him watching her.

 

“Just thinking a lot, you know?” 

 

“About blood status?” Hesitantly, she nodded. He always seemed to know what she was thinking. “What if I'm pure-blood? My father was apparently a Black. What if my mother was pure-blood, too?”

 

“That doesn't change who you are. You'd still be Pandora Black, regardless of who they are. You were raised by wonderful people, so you would still be the same person.” That made her feel better. 

 

She realized, as she was biting her nails, that she needed to take her potion. Pandora wondered for a moment, if she was getting addicted to it. She had an uncle that was an addict. She only saw him once when he came to her house to borrow money from Mum, but she turned her brother down. 

 

Could she be getting addicted to Calming Draught? “There you are, Potter- Weasley.” She looked up to see Professor McGonagall standing in the entrance, waiting for them. “You will both do your detention this evening.” Whatever was in store, Pandora was sure that she would be fine. 


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, Harry met her at Breakfast. “Something happened.”

 

“What?” She jumped, not expecting him to plop right next to her at Ravenclaw table. 

 

“Last night, during detention, I heard a voice.” She looked around, but no one was close enough to hear. With his voice low, he explained, “It was like a whispering voice. It said it wanted to kill. Lockhart didn't hear it.” She looked at her friend, waiting for a sign that he was playing a joke. 

 

“That's all? It said it wanted to kill? Nothing else?”

 

“No. I told Ron and he didn't get it either.” She patted his arm as the room filled with people. 

 

“We'll figure it out.” She nodded. 

 

When Halloween came around, Harry walked right up to her. “would you like to go to a Deathday party?” 

 

“What's a…”

 

“Like a birthday party, but ghosts celebrate when they died rather than when they were born. Its tonight. I already talked to Hermione and Ron.”

 

“As intriguing as that sounds, I already promised Luna I'd hang out with her.” He sighed with a nod. “How about this. Meet me by the library and I'll give you some food from the celebration.” He divided again, this time happier. 

 

“Also, by accident, I promise,” She could already tell this wasn't going to be good. “I found a letter meant for Filtch. Did you know he can't do magic?”

 

“That sounds pretty muggle.” 

 

“He had magic parents though.” Harry explained. “Ron explained it to me. He's called a Squib. Like the opposite of a muggle-born.”

 

“So while a muggle-born has muggle parents but magic, a Squib has magic parents but a muggle.”

 

“Basically.” 

 

“That's probably why he hates kids so much.”

  
  


Halloween was fantastic. She managed to catch- but not hurt- hurt a live bat, who let her pet it before flying off. Luna was next to her wearing the most peculiar necklace which looked like like it was made of bottle caps. “I make them all the time. Would you like one?”

 

“Sure. It sounds cool.” The charmed skeletons were a sight. She laughed as when one finished it's dance, it collapsed into a heap. Done with the event, she piled as many treats as she could onto one plate. Pandora was walking with the group of Ravenclaw’s until they made it to the hall where a panic stricken Harry was standing in a puddle. She looked at where he was looking to see the caretaker's cat hanging by her tail. Red was painted against the wall. 

 

_ The chamber of Secrets has been opened.  _

_ Enemies of the heir beware. _

 

“Enemies of the heir, beware?” Came Malfoy’s shrill, excited voice. “You'll be next, Mudbloods.” He laughed and pure fury boiled inside of Pandora. Mr. Filtch pushed through then, drawn to the noise. 

 

When he saw Mrs. Norris, he flew into a frenzy, blaming Harry for killing his cat. Dumbledore came, then, trying to calm him and she took the time to walk to Harry, handing him the food. He was in no mood to eat though as he watched everything go on. “Come with me, Argus.” the man insisted. “Same for you, Mr. Potter. Ms. Granger. Mr. Weasley. Ms. Black.” They nodded and followed him carrying the cat to a classroom. 

 

After Inspecting the cat very closely for a long time, Dumbledore looked at the crying form of Argus Filtch. “She's not dead. She's been petrified. As to how, I cannot say-”

 

“Ask him!” He said, pointing at Harry. Pandora instinctively slid in front of Harry, a human shield he didn't ask for. 

 

“No second year could have done it. It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced-”

 

“He did it! He did it!” Filtch cried angrily. Pandora was seconds away from hex in him with everything she taught herself over the weeks. After Snape tried to get him kicked from the Quidditch team (“Jealous git who's upset that Harry’s better than his whole team” Ron muttered) Dumbledore stated that they would wait for the mandrakes to mature which would unpetrify her. He let them all go, and they all but ran. Do you think thinking should’ve told them about the voices?” Harry asked. 

 

“You're hearing it again?” Harry just nodded slowly. She couldn't resist pulling him in and hugging him tightly. This year was seeming to turn out just like the last. Everything started calm, but danger was right around the corner. 

 

By the next day, the whole school was talking about the attack and Pandora never left Harry’s side unless she had to. She walked him to class and ran to her own, and when they had classes together, she was next to him. She ended up grabbing his hand once and he let it happen. During their break, they were laying together on the bank of the lake. 

 

“You know you're like my brother, right?” She said to him as their fingers laced together. 

 

“Yea. You're like my very pale sister that I never had. The only relative my age I have is Dudley and you met him. You're a step up from him, you know?” She laughed deeply. 

 

“I'll take that as a compliment.” 

 

He sniffed. “I don't have time for anything more anyways. With my life constantly on the line and Malfoy being a prat.” She chuckled softly. 

 

After that, she noticed that he seemed to be very open with her. He voiced his concerns at Hermione doing nearly nothing but reading. He was also concerned for Ginny, who seemed to be struggling with everything. She was quite pale and looked like she'd seen a ghost. 

 

Harry was hanging out in the common room so she went off to train. For the past week, she'd been working on a fairly hard charm that she knew might help eventually. It could be used to send messages as well. 

 

When nothing came out of her wand for the  _ hundredth _ time, she decided to work on other, simpler spells. 

 

She met with the trio while they were talking to Collin. “-A boy in my class has been saying you're-” But he was cut off by a large tide of students. 

 

She walked over. “What's a boy in class saying about you?” 

 

“That I'm the heir of Slytherin, I expect.” He stated with a subdued look and Pandora scoffed. 

 

“People here’ll believe anything.” Ron said, and she rolled her eyes. They then told her what what they learned in History of Magic. “The Chamber? Was there anything important?” They began to walk to the shared class. 

 

“No.” Harry sighed. “aside from there being a monster or something in there. But if it's real, it was supposed to be closed since the founders, you know?” 

 

“Do you think it's real? The Chamber?” Ron asked. Hermione answered. 

 

“I don't know. Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be… human.”

 

They found themselves at the hall where the attack happened. Everyone shared a look. For the first time since it happened, the hall was empty. Filtch was not standing watch. Pandora looked at the message. Enemies of the heir? Based on what Malfoy said, that meant the heir of Slytherin, right? Since all dark wizard supposedly came from Slytherin. That's not right, though. 

 

That's not fair. She was sure that there were other dark wizards who were in other houses. They just weren't as famous as Voldemort. Getting closer, she noticed that it was dark red. Like blood. At times like this, she wished she was an animal so she could follow traces of things with scent.

 

Did it work like that? An animagus looked like an animal, but could they sense like one, too. “I'll see you guys later, I want to ask something.” She ran down the hall, turning the corner, heading straight to transfiguration. 

 

“Ms. Black. I don't have you in class until much later.” Professor McGonagall observed. 

 

“I know. I have questions.” 

 

“About what, might I ask.” 

 

“Animagi.” The woman tensed, slightly.

 

“What type of questions.” she was being cautious. 

 

“Well, when you turn into one, do you have your regular senses, or do you sense like a cat? Can you follow scents? Can you hear better?  Why would anyone want to turn into one? Are there disadvantages to being able to turn into an animal? Do you get urges to chase rats and small creatures?” She seemed to relax, strangely. 

 

“Well, my hearing did improve when I successfully turned into an animagus. When I'm in my feline form, I can hear, see and smell better. I became one under Dumbledore’s guidance because it was a challenge that I wanted to overcome. When a cat, I can follow scents, but not as I am. And no, I do not get the urge to chance wild animals.” She looked at her teacher. She had not expected to get such a detailed answer. “Why are you asking?”

 

“I was just curious. And you're the only one that I knew.” Pandora chuckled, nervously.  “I should get to class now.” 


	7. Chapter 7

Pandora found herself sitting with Hermione in the library. “Have you ever thought about becoming an animagus?” She asked as Padma sat next to her. 

 

Hermione looked up from her book on magical creatures. “We don't learn about them until Third year. It's a very difficult procedure.”

 

“If anyone could, it would be you.” Pandora complimented. Hermione went pink in the cheeks. “I bet you would do it faster than normal.” She looked at Padma. “You, too. You could do some awesome magic.”

 

“You're selling yourself short, Pandora.” Hermione stated blandly. 

 

“If we could do something, so could you.” Padma explained. 

 

“So, why don't we try something to prove ourselves? We don't have to be illegal animagi, but we can try some really hard spells or something. By Christmas, we'll learn something really hard. No, after Christmas.” She looked from Padma, who was thinking, to Hermione, who was looking dubious. 

 

“If think it's a good idea. Like pushing ourselves to be better.” Pandora smiled at her fellow Ravenclaw. Hermione sighed. 

 

“Alright, we'll do it. But only we know about it.” 

 

“Oh course.” Pandora smiled. 

  
  


Since Harry was in the hospital - that buffoon Lockhart melted his bones - she decided to work on her patronus. A happy memory. 

 

Pandora cleared her mind of all but that memory. She could see herself, sitting in her lounge, surrounded by her mother and father. “ _ Expecto Patronum.” _ She cried. It's been a days of doing the same thing every night. All she could get was a misty little puff before it went out. 

 

She met Harry the first time. He was the first person not to treat her like she was poisonous. “ _ Expecto Patronum! _ ” She yelled. She was getting significantly more frustrated the longer she failed. Her brain fluttered to Hermione. When Hermione smiled as she got something right, when she laid down a fact with complete accuracy, when she blushed. The girl had a cute smile and always seemed happy around Pandora. 

 

With a new faith in herself, she cleared her throat. “ _ Expecto Patronum _ .” A silver mist flew out of the end of her wand, staying in place. When the Charm stopped, she jumped up and down, yelling with happiness. 

  
  


In Ravenclaw tower, a group of people were gathered around the notice board.  _ Dueling Club _ . Pandora thought.  _ I still have defense to learn. _ So, she signed herself up. She was staying for Christmas again, so she didn't have many plans. She also knew that Harry and Ron were staying, as well as Hermione. 

 

She met them in the great hall, where Lockhart and Snape were standing on a raised platform. Everyone but Hermione seemed to hate it already. 

 

“Now, Professor Dumbledore had granted me permission to stay this little Dueling Club, to train you all in case you need to defend yourself.” After introducing Snape as his assistant, they began to duel. Obviously, Snape had won rather easily. Pandora was beginning to think he didn't do all of the great things his books said he did. They were moved into pairs, then. Poor Neville had to face a Hufflepuff named Justin Finch-Fletchley, Harry had to face Malfoy, Hermione was facing Millicent Bulstrode, and Pandora was facing a girl named Pansy Parkinson. 

 

Pandora learned early on not to look at appearances. How you look doesn't matter. It's how you present yourself. Pansy didn't present herself well. “Wands at the ready.” She held up her wand, eyes never leaving Pansy, even when they had to bow. When they gave the call to start, pansy quickly shot a spell at her, which she quickly blocked with a  _ Protego _ , then  _ Expelliarmus _ . Pandora smirked at the look on her face. 

 

When he heard Harry yell, “ _ Rictusempra _ !” Her attention quickly shot to them, watching Malfoy double over, laughing. Snape was the one that stopped both his charm, and the one he cast on Harry, making Harry’s legs jerk around dancing. 

 

After insulting Neville, to everyone's annoyance but the Slytherin group, he set Harry against Malfoy again, to learn blocking spells. Lockhart gave Harry a weird sort of movement with his wand as Snape whispered something to Malfoy, who smirked. She did not like that at all. 

 

Malfoy yelled a spell, causing a great black snake to come out of his wand. Harry was just watching the snake, wide eyed and unmoving. Snape offered to get rid rid of it with a snide smirk, but before he could, Lockhart jumped in and cast the snake Into the air, which set it towards Justin. The class was in a panic, until it fell completely silent when a hissing fell over the crowd. 

 

Everyone looked at Harry, who was making snake noises. She didn't understand why everyone was so tense, because the snake turned to him and wasn't getting ready to attack, but it might have been serious because Justin yelled about it and fled quickly. 

 

What happened? 

 

People were muttering about it, so Ron pulled him by his robes, leading him out of the hall. Pandora and Hermione followed. Everyone was watching as they walked out.

 

Ron stated him all the way to Gryffindor common room, but Pabst didn't stop at the door. She was right beside them, holding Harry’s hand. “You're a Parselmouth.” Ron said. “Why didn't you tell us?” 

 

“I'm a what?” 

 

“A Parselmouth. You can talk to snakes.” Pandora looked at him, amazed. He was talking to the snake? That's pretty cool. But why are their friends so scared looking? Harry began to explain that he once set a snake free so it could go to Brazil. “A Boa Constrictor told you it wanted to go to Brazil?”

 

“What's the big deal? I bet loads of people can do it.”

 

“No, they can't. It's a very rare gift. This is bad.”

 

“What's bad about it? Every kid wants to be able to talk to animals. Harry actually can.” Everyone seemed to ignore her. She walked away, then, she hated being ignored more than anything else. She'd talk to Harry and have him fill her in. 

 

She spent plenty of time practicing, but couldn't even concentrate enough to actually do anything. She was worried about Harry. Why were they freaking out so much? It's not like he was bad for talking to snakes. 

 

She decided to seek him out. She didn't find him until lunch the next day. Pandora sat next to him as she would any other time, but everyone seemed to want to separate themselves from him. She rolled her eyes. “Why did you walk away?” He asked.

 

“I figured you'd want to spend time with your Gryffindor friends.” She lied. “So what's this about being Parselmouth?” 

 

“Apparently, the only person who was a Parselmouth was Salazar Slytherin.”

 

“So they think you're related to him, or something?” It all clicked together. “They think you actually might be the Heir of Slytherin?”

 

“Them and the rest of the school.” She rolled her eyes. “I tried to talk to Justin this morning, but found out that someone else has been attacked.” She shifted in her seat. 

 

“Who?” 

 

“Colin Creevey.” She gasped, then felt the blood leave her body. Collin was bugging him earlier. Whoever this “heir” was, they're making it look really bad for Harry.

 

“I don't think you're the heir.” This caused him to perk up. 

 

“You don't?”

 

“You're too Gryffindor to be the heir of Slytherin.” this caused him to laugh tightly. It was a step in the right direction.


	8. Chapter 8

Another attack. Pandora sighed, watching the scene in front of her. Fred and George were trying to make light of the situation, ushering Harry around, calling him the Heir of Slytherin, but Pandora found it rather upsetting. Harry didn't seem upset, but it could be because the twins make everything seem better. 

 

“This is no laughing matter.” Percy snipped.

 

“It's stupid that you're making a joke out of this.” Percy nodded at her as she pushed the twins away, taking Harry’s side. 

 

“I really didn't mind, Pan. It's kind of funny.” Hermione and Ron walked up to her. 

 

“Can we borrow Harry for a moment?” Her chest tightened. They didn't want her around. They were keeping secrets. Putting on a face of indifference, she walked away. 

 

“Ah, Pandora.” She looked up and saw Percy. 

 

“What's up?” 

 

“You're friends with Harry. Is he doing well?” 

 

“Yea. He's not taking this whole thing personally, I don't think.”

 

“Right. My mother cares about him and just wants to be sure he's fine. I wouldn't ask Ron because he wouldn't tell me.” They started walking as he talked. “She's only trying to care like any mother. Or adoptive mother. Those three keep a lot of secrets, you know.”

 

“Yea.” She responded, thinking back to the encounter with Hermione and Ron. “I know.”

 

“I know it's a bit early, but have you thought of becoming a prefect?” She looked up at him. 

 

“I'm only a Second Year.”

 

“Well, a friend in Ravenclaw says that you're studious and you never miss any homework and you're never breaking rules unless you're dragged in with those three.” 

 

“So are many other people in my house.” 

 

“Yes, but my friend, also a prefect,  seems to think you're best for the job.” 

 

“Let her come back to me when I'm in Fifth year and I'll think about it then.” 

 

“Either way.” He said, dismissively. “You might want to get back. I must do my rounds.” An idea struck her. 

 

“Can i come on your rounds?” Percy was taken aback. 

 

“That wouldn't be-”

 

“it'll help me make my mind. If I see how it is, I could make the decision faster.”

 

“Yes, but-”

 

“if I'm aiming to be a prefect, I could keep the others in line.”

 

“That's true.”

 

“No more letters home to stress out your mother.” He sighed. 

 

“Very well. It's quite long, so you better be prepared.” 

  
  


They started at the top and went to the dungeons. All they did was walk around making sure everything was in order. “So what's it like living In a wizard family?” 

 

Percy seemed shocked that she asked. “You aren't living with wizards?” She shook her head.

 

“Muggles. Apparently I have since I was three years old. So, you're purebloods. You know other pureblood families?”

 

“We're related to other pure blood families.” 

 

“So you'd know about the Black family.” 

 

“Ah. Is that why you wanted to be here? Not to be a prefect in the future.” 

 

“Ask no questions and I will tell no lies.” She really wanted to know about where she came from. “I can't ask Ron because he is a bit biased when it comes to getting information. I figure an intelligible person like you would be able to tell me.” 

 

“Well, I only know what my mother and father have said and what I hear. There are only four people who actually carry the Black name that are still alive.”

 

“Four? Isn't it supposed to be a family like yours?”

 

“Well, not all wizard families have a great deal of children. Like that Malfoy. He's an only child.”

 

“So who's alive?” 

 

“I've read news from the past, so I know there's a woman named Bellatrix Lestrange in prison. Same with Sirius Black.”

 

“Lestrange?” 

 

“Married name. There's also Malfoy’s mother. Her name is… Narcissa, I believe. She's also married. And there's you.” 

 

“Why are so many of them in prison?” 

 

“They were followers of ‘You-know-who’ and when he fell, they were caught.”

 

“Do you think one of them are my parents?”

 

“I'd think that-”

 

“What are you two doing down here?” Someone interrupted. Malfoy’s cronies, Crabbe and Goyle were standing in the middle of the hallway. Percy sidestepped, putting himself between the two brutes, who were more fat than skin. She peeked out from behind him. Something seemed off from how they usually are. 

 

Usually they're too dumb to realize where they are, but they seemed different. Like they actually had a brain cell in their heads. 

 

“That is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?” Pandora laughed at the look on the Slytherins faces. They seemed so confused and lost. Maybe without their leader, they were. Crabbe and Percy were arguing back and forth when someone else came up. Draco Malfoy himself. She pulled out her wand carefully and performed a charm that was handwritten in the book she had. She had already long before charmed the radio she had- not that it worked- to be the receiving end of the charm. Shed been eager to finally do this, glad that she had a reason. Sort of.

 

“ _ Mixte.” _ She whispered and attached the charm to Goyle’s robes, hoping that no one heard her. “This isn't exactly my place. You were right. I shouldn't be walking around. I've learned my lesson.” She told Percy, which caused both Crabbe and Goyle to look at her oddly, mouths agape. She all but ran to the tower, sliding in with Penelope Clearwater, the prefect.

 

When she explained she was with Percy, who was advising Pandora to be a prefect, she was allowed to go. Silencing her curtains, she used the charm on the radio. 

 

“...Loves muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and join them.” it was Malfoy who said it. “You'd never know the Weasley’s were pure blood, the way they behave. What's up with you, Crabbe?” 

 

“Stomachache.”

 

“Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick for me.” She rolled her eyes at him. He began to talk about Dumbledore. “A decent Headmaster would never have let a slime like that Creevey in. Potter, can I have a picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I luck your shoes, please, Potter? What is the matter with you two?” So his “friends” were acting strange? Crabbe and Goyle gave tight laughs, but Malfoy kept talking. “Saint Potter, the Mudbloods friend.” He chuckled darkly. “He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think  _ he's _ the Slytherin heir.”

  
She was about to stop listening, but heard her name. “And Pandora, his friend. She doesn't know how good she has it. She's the heir to the Black name and she doesn't even know. Father talks about it often. He wants me to befriend her because she's not as much a friend to Potter as that Weasley or Granger. Thinks I can get her to see herself as the name she carries, rather than being a muggle lover. Good at hexing, that one. Shed make a better Slytherin. Hell, she has more of a chance being Slytherin’s heir than  _ Potter _ . I wish I knew who it is. I could help him.” she stopped listening. Malfoy’s father wanted him to be friends with her? As if that would ever happen.


	9. Chapter 9

When she heard that Hermione was in the hospital wing, she instantly tried to visit. It was because Hermione was her friend, she told herself. Hermione was just a friend. It had nothing to do with budding feelings. Madam Pomfrey denied her. “She's not seeing anyone right now.” Pandora sighed deeply. 

 

“Poppy, it's me.” She reasoned.

 

“I understand who you are, but it's by her words that no one sees her.” 

 

“Ask her. Ask if Pandora can see her. If she says no, I'll go away.” The door closed and Pandora stood there, waiting. It seemed like hours that she stood, tense. She began to pace to ease the tension in her body, counting the times that her left foot was the one to turn. The door opened and Madam Pomfrey ushered her in. Harry and Ron were already there, sitting on one side. She had thick, catlike fur covering her face. 

 

“What did you two do?”

 

“What were you doing with Percy yesterday?” Ron snipped. She raised her eyebrows. 

 

“How did you know I was with Percy?” He paled. He and Harry shared a look. “And for your information, he wanted to know if I was striving to be Ravenclaw Prefect.” Ron seemed relieved for a moment. “I had an excuse to be out of bed after curfew. Why were you? And obviously, if you knew where I was, you were spying.” 

 

“You'd make a great prefect.” Harry mumbled.

 

“So how?”

 

“I don't-”

 

“They used Polyjuice Potion.” Hermione interrupted. “They were Crabbe and Goyle. I was supposed to be Millicent, but I accidentally used cat hair.” 

 

“You're only supposed to use human DNA.”

 

“I didn't know it wasn't human.” Hermione sobbed, so Pandora sat down. 

 

“Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.” She whispered. She loved her fingers into Hermione’s and ran her thumb over the surface of her palm. “Will you be okay?”

 

“Madam Pomfrey is helping.” 

 

Within a few weeks, Hermione was in better spirits because her face wasn't furry and her eyes were slowly making their way back to their deep brown. 

 

Pandora was walking to class when Harry and Ron walked to her. “Finally keeping me in the loop?” Harry looked away sheepishly as she looked over the book he gave her. “T. M. Riddle? Where'd you find this?”

 

“Someone threw in through Moaning Myrtle.” Moaning Myrtle?  The Ghost that haunts the bathroom? 

 

“That's pretty rude. I mean, it looks old. Maybe someone lost it a while ago and someone else found it.” 

 

“Whoever it was didn't use it at all.” 

 

“Or it might secretly be super powerful and you just can't see it.” Ron looked skeptical as Harry looked like he was concentrating on the diary. “Don't take magic anything for granted, Ron.” She handed it back. “Talk to Hermione about it. Tell me what she says.” 

 

They left in a hurry, so she went to her common room. Luna was there, sitting by the fire. “Hey, Luna.”

 

“Hello.” She said in her dreamy voice.

 

“How's Hogwarts treating you?”

 

“Some people are rather strange. They call me names and take my things?” Pandora stood up quickly. 

 

“Who?”

 

“I never see them. I don't mind really. It's not so bad. You and Ginny are rather kind to me.”

 

“We'll, we're friends, so we'll act like friends.” She sat next to Luna, pulling her Into a hug. “If you ever get hurt, or if something bad happens, you can come to me.” Luna hugged back. 

 

“I know, Pandora.” She was smiling. They spent the rest of the afternoon together until another first year came up to them.

 

He seemed very nervous. “Uh… H- Harry Potter wants you in the Great hall.” Poor kid was scared of Harry.

 

She ran out, making her way to the room. As she sat down, she spoke. “We need a better way to communicate.” 

 

“Hermione thinks that whoever had this book might know who opened the Chamber last time.”

 

“Last time?” 

 

“The Chamber was opened fifty years ago. And a student died.”

 

“Where'd you hear that?” 

 

“Malfoy during Christmas.” 

 

“Must've missed that part.” She mumbled.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing. If it's empty, it's not that useful.”

 

“I know. It's just… there's something about that book that isn't normal.”

 

“Not normal, or not magic normal.” He grinned at her. 

 

“Not normal even for magic.” She chuckled and held out her hand. He handed the book to her. She looked through it. 

 

“Have you tried to write in it?” 

 

“Why would I?” 

 

“I don't know. Just something to do. I would.” 

 

“Why?”

 

“Is make it mine. It's T. M. Riddle’s fault for losing it.” 

 

“Well, it was fifty years ago.” it was Pandora's turn to shrug. 

 

When Lockhart mentioned something about a “moral booster” she figured there'd be simple muggle valentine's celebrations. 

 

She audibly groaned when she realized that he hired Cupid dressed Dwarves to deliver Valentines cards. She was walking with Luna to her class when one of the Dwarves tracked her down. “Pandora Black!” it yelled and she felt her face heat up. 

 

“I don't have any cards. You can go away, it's okay.” The dwarf seemed to be throwing a fit and was attracting attention as he cursed. “Ok, sorry. Sorry. What is it?” 

 

He handed her three cards, shaped like hearts. She rolled her eyes, shoving them into her bag as he lumbered away. She pulled Luna along, trying to get out of the corridor. Pulling Luna into the closest room, she looked at them. 

 

Luna sent one, saying thanks for being a good friend. She kissed Luna’s cheek and looked at the other two. One was Black with white lace around it. She rolled her eyes, but smiled anyways. There was a piece of chocolate attached, but she decided to pass on it. It's not smart to just eat candy you find. She learned that the hard way when she got food poisoning from candy. It didn't say anything. 

 

The other was a rather pretty pink heart that had had a poem in it, which she recognized Hermione’s writing. 

 

“I'll have to send her back one. Or maybe something that isn't endorsed by Lockhart.” She said, huffing. 

 

“And maybe figure out where the other one came from?” 

 

“I don't think it's that important. If they want my attention they can come to me.”


	10. Chapter 10

“You don't really think Hagrid set a creature on  _ students _ .” Pandora reasoned at breakfast. They were talking low, so only they could hear. Pandora thought that next time she would train, she'd learn silencing charms. 

 

“But, Pan, he probably didn't mean to do it.”

 

“And you think a spider has a chance to paralyze students?” while he spoke, she dug through her books, looking for one in particular. She read something about the subject before, but couldn't remember where. Fantastic Beasts, maybe? 

 

“It makes sense, I guess.” 

 

“I don't think so. Wrong place, wrong time.” She didn't seem to have it with her. Weird, because she usually carries all of her books. Shed have to go back to her room and check there.

 

“But, the attacks stopped after he was expelled.”

 

“And you don't think the real attacker wanted to make it seem more like he did it, so he stopped when Hagrid was blamed?” He thought for a moment about her statement. It seemed like he was trying to make sense of the whole situation and trying to find an alternative.  “I'm gonna go, now.” She said, aiming for her trunk In her room. “Talk later.” In the common room, Padma was there, so she stopped there. Padma had a bowl of candy in her lap as she pet a purring Ria. “What's up?”

 

“Your cat is lovely.” Pandora chuckled as she sat next to the feline, scratching just above her tail. Book forgotten, she sat talking to Padma for the remainder of the evening.

 

Choosing her classes were rather easy. Wanting to know what it was like, she chose divination, then decided on Muggle Studies. Hermione gave her two cents about divination, not favoring the subject, but said she took it anyways. She was interested in what Wizards have to say about Muggle things. Harry already mentioned that Arthur Weasley didn't even know what a rubber duck was, so she was excited to know how people interpreted certain things. 

 

Harry ran up to her In a rush, out of breath and wide eyed. “What's wrong?” 

 

“The diary. My room was ransacked and It's gone.” He all but yelled.

 

“What? Who did it?”

 

“No one knows. Everything was everywhere.”

 

“Well, we know it was a Gryffindor, right? Who else knew about it?” 

 

“Ron and Hermione. That's all.” She sighed. That didn't help. If they wanted it, they'd just ask, not go through his stuff. 

 

“Whoever threw it through Myrtle, then?” 

 

“Maybe.” He huffed. Ron and Hermione met them in the hallway, Harry and Ron talking about Quidditch. Pandora rolled her eyes. They begun to walk, when Harry tensed, looking around crazily. “That voice! I heard it, didn't you?” 

 

“No, Harry. Nothing.” Hermione clapped her hand over her forehead. 

 

“I just realized something, I have to go to the library.” And she ran in the opposite direction. She looked from Hermione to Harry, who nodded. She ran after the quick brunette, finding her in the library on the back, away from the prying eyes of Madam Pince.

 

“Hermione?” 

 

“Oh, Pandora. Look at this.” She showed the book that she was reading. 

 

“Basilisk?” 

 

“It's all makes sense. It would be able to live a long time, long enough to be more than fifty years old. It's stare can kill, but if not directly looked at, it'll paralyze.”

 

“It's a type of snake, so Harry, being a Parselmouth would understand it.” 

 

“Exactly. And the crow of a rooster kills it, the spider flees from it. The Slytherin Monster is a room Basilisk.” She stood up, grabbing Hermione’s head, planting a kiss on her forehead, causing her to blush deeply. She looked into those bright eyes for a moment. 

 

“Hermione you're a genius.” She smiled brightly, making Pandora's belly flutter. She instantly planned on making her smile as much as possible.

 

“Get a mirror, Pandora. Use it to look around corners. We don't know your blood status or how it's targeting only muggle-borns, so we don't know if it'll come after you, too.”

 

She ran to her room, aiming for the dorm bathroom. After making sure the dorm was empty, she locked the bathroom door. “Hogwarts, please forgive me.” She mumbled as she pulled out her wand. Aiming the tip at the mirror, she took a breath, before, “ _ Bombarda! _ ” And the mirror shattered. Picking up the biggest pieces- both roughly the size of a compact; she ran down to the library in hopes of finding Hermione again. Out the door, there was some commotion, so she ducked into an alcove, incase someone heard her break the mirror. She quickly shoved it in her robe pocket. She didn't want to be caught breaking school property. Again.

 

Instead, she ended up finding a fellow Ravenclaw, who ushered her to the Common Room. She explained that there was an announcement from the head of House. In the room was where Flitwick was reading a parchment. “All students will return to Their House common room by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time.  You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches will be postponed. There will be no more evening activities.” Flitwick looked directly at her. She wouldn't be getting extra lessons anymore. She wouldn't be able to train her patronus anymore. 

 

“Who was attacked?” She asked, trying not to be seething. It wasn't Flitwick who was setting the creature on students.

 

“Ah, that's not…” Everyone in the common room looked at her, then the professor. They were listening, so Flitwick had no choice but to say who it was. “Penelope Clearwater. There was a Gryffindor, too.” Her heart jumped into her throat. Who was it? Harry? Ron? Ginny, even? Ginny has been taking this whole thing just as bad, looking more and more sick as she went on. Stress does some horrible things and she wished she paid more attention to the younger Weasley. “Hermione Granger.” She felt her face pale. 


	11. Chapter 11

Pandora sniffed as she looked down at Hermione. Part of her blamed herself. If she hadn't left, she wouldn't have gotten attacked. 

 

_ It should have been me. _ Pandora thought bitterly. Hermione even had the mirror. “Call a teacher when you're ready to leave, okay?” She looked up, forgetting that she was with Flitwick. She nodded, then watched as the door closed. She collapsed to the chair, letting her face fall onto the bed. 

 

“I should have been there, Hermione. I should have been with you. I'm at least a half blood, right? It should have actually been me.” 

 

She was escorted to the Ravenclaw Tower. 

  
  


“Pandora!” She jumped out of her thoughts, looking at Harry. It had been two days since Harry told her that Hagrid had been taken to Azkaban. “Sorry. You just weren't paying attention.”

 

“It's okay. I've been out of my mind recently. What were you saying?”

 

“So, as Hagrid said to follow the spiders, we did.” He lowered his voice as he talked, making sure no one was listening. “We snuck out.” 

 

“Harry!” 

 

“Shh. We came back. It's okay. We actually got what we needed. It wasn't Hagrid. The creature he had was a giant spider.”

 

“You saw, and talked to, an Acromantula? And got away?”

 

“That's not important. Aragog said he was afraid of the monster and wouldn't say it's name.”

 

“Basilisk!” She yelled, standing. Harry pulled her back down after she took the time to blush at the attention she received. “The monster is a basilisk. I think. We were talking about it. Hermione wasn't entirely sure. But it makes sense. It's a giant snake.” Harry looked up, as if everything became clear.

 

“No one ever saw it straight on, so no one died by its stare. Collin saw it through his camera. Justin Must've seen it through Nick! Nick can't die again. Hermione and that Ravenclaw Prefect were seen with mirrors. Hermione Must've warned the first person she saw to look around corners with a mirror!”

 

“And Mrs. Norris?”

 

“The water on the floor from Myrtle’s bathroom! “ Pandora said, excitedly. 

 

“The crowing of a rooster is fatal to it. That's why all the roosters are dead. Spiders flee before it. It all fits. 

 

“How is it moving around though?”

 

“Pipes. The plumbing pipes.” Pandora offered. “That's why Harry has been able to hear it all over. It's traveling through the pipes.”

 

Ron gaped, then grabbed Harry’s arm. “The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in-”

 

“Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom.” Harry and Pandora finished, together. 

 

“That also means that i'm not the only Parselmouth in the school. Someone else is controlling the basilisk.” Harry observed. 

 

“Should we go to McGonagall?”

 

“Let's go to the staff room. She'll be there in ten minutes.” They ran, not wanting to be caught between classes without a teacher. The large room was empty of all teachers. They all waited for the bell signal, but it never came. Instead, McGonagall’s voice, instead, came out, magically magnified. 

 

_ “all students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers to the staff room. Immediately, please. _ ”

 

Pandora looked at Ron and Harry. “Another attack?”

 

“Do we… go back to the dormitory?” Ron asked hesitantly. 

 

“No.” Harry pulled them to the side of the room where a wardrobe sat. “In here. We can hear what it's about. Then we can tell them what we found.” They pushed themselves inside, a tight fit with three of them together. She was pressed between Rob and an uncomfortable feeling robe that rubbed against her face painfully. With the door open just a crack, they could hear what would happen. 

 

When the staff room door opened, they all stood completely still. “It has happened.” McGonagall said, sounding more worried than Pandora ever heard before. “A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself.”

 

Professor Flitwick squeaked, and had it not been for such a serious moment, she might have laughed. Snape was the one who spoke. “How can you be sure?”

 

McGonagall responded. “The Heir of Slytherin left another message, right under the first.  _ Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever. _ ” There was a thick silence as she shared a look with Harry.

 

“Who is it? Which student?” 

 

“Ginny Weasley.” Ron collapsed beside them, so she leaned down, too. “We'll have to send the students home tomorrow. This is the end of Hogwarts.”

 

She was just about to climb out to say they knew where it was, when the door banged open. She rolled her eyes when she heard Lockhart. 

 

“Sorry- dozed off. What have I missed?” 

 

Snape stepped forward, a cruel smile on his face, usually reserved for her when he was about to take points. “Just the man. The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken to the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last.” She was confused. All year, he'd been avoiding the man, if not making him make a fool of himself. It surprised her even more, when Professor Sprout spoke. 

 

“That's right, Gilderoy. Weren't you just saying that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?” With a soft sigh, she realized what they were doing. Lockhart only sputtered on. 

 

Professor Flitwick spoke next. “Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?” She tried to hold back her giggling. It was such a bad moment, but she couldn't help it, being satisfied that Lockhart finally got called out. 

 

Snape was the one to speak again. “I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested. Didn't you say the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given free reign from the first?”

 

Lockhart just stuttered an excuse. “We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy.” Lockhart was looking around the room, looking for an escape route. 

 

“I'll - I'll be in my office, getting- getting ready.” When he left the room, McGonagall began talking. 

 

“the Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you make sure that no student has been left outside their dormitories.” Slowly, the teachers left. 

 

Pandora was sitting with Ria in the common room. It wasn't fair. Ginny was only a child. They were only children. Padma walked over to her. “Did you work on your thing?”

 

“Thing?” 

 

“That hard thing we were going to do.”

 

“Oh, yea.” She stood, pulling out her wand. They walked to the dormitory. Everyone was in the common room, so she was able to not be seen.  _ Happy memory. _ She thought.  _ Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Hermione getting out of the hospital. Harry being happy. They find Ginny and she's okay. _ With those thoughts, she pointed her wand. “ _ Expecto Patronum.” _

 

From the tip of her wand, a small  _ something _ came out. Padma laughed joyously, seeing what it was. A small fox was what came out, with a small nose and large ears. When Pandora reached out to touch it, the animal vanished. 

 

“A fully formed patronus charm. You're brilliant!” Padma hugged her. 

 

“Thanks. What did you do?” She pulled out her wand, concentrating. Suddenly, without any words, her wand lit up as if she cast  _ lumos. _ Then, it grew, becoming brighter.  _ Lumos Maxima. _ Then, after canceling the spell, she flicked her wand and Pandora's wand flew out of her hand.

 

“Nonverbal spells.” Padma explained. Pandora hugged her tightly, jumping with her. “I wonder what Hermione did.” Her voice was sad.

 

“Polyjuice Potion. She explained it before she was…” Padma nodded, so Pandora didn't finish. 

 

_ I shouldn't be sitting here _ , Pandora thought.  _ I know something that could help. It'll only be worse if I don't say something. _

 

She slipped out of the room. Casting the disillusion charm from her book, she slipped out of the common room and ran down the hallway. Around the corner, she knocked into someone with an ‘oof’.

 

Harry and Ron stood there. “Where are you going?” 

 

“To tell Lockhart what I know about the chamber. What about you?” 

 

“The same.” Harry said, helping her up. Together, they walked down the hall to the Defense room. When they made it to the door, there was loud movement, which seemed rushed. With a thick swallow, she reached up and knocked on the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me how it is so far :)


	12. Chapter 12

When the door opened an inch, Lockhart looked through. “Oh, Mr. Potter, Weasley, Ms. Black. I'm rather busy at the moment. If you would be quick-” The door opened wider.

 

“We have information for you. We think it'll help.” Harry explained. Lockhart looked very uncomfortable. He babbled on about something and opened the door. When they walked in, anger flared in Pandora. Everything was stripped off the walls and packed away. “Are you going somewhere?” 

 

“Well, yes. Urgent call- unavoidable-”

 

“What about Ginny? Ron’s sister is still in the chamber.” He babbled on,  _ making excuses, _ Pandora thought. “You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! You can't leave when there's all this Dark stuff happening here.”

 

“Well, I must admit, when I took this job, nothing in the job description- didn't expect-”

 

“You're running away?” Pandora snapped. 

 

“But, all that stuff you've written in your books-” 

 

“Books can be misleading.” Lockhart interrupted Harry.

 

“You wrote them!” Harry barked out. Lockhart began to explain that he would've been boring if people didn't think he did the things in his books.”

 

“You're taking credit for everything other wizards have done.” Pandora realized. 

 

“Dear, it's not nearly as simple as that. There's a lot of work involved. I had to track these people down, ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. I had to put a memory charm on them so they didn't remember doing them.” He shut and locked the trunk. “One more thing.” When he pulled out his wand, Pandora did, too. “I can't have you blabbing about what I've done. I'd never sell a book again.”

 

“You cowardly-” He raised his wand, but Pandora was quicker “ _ Expelliarmus.”  _ Ron caught his wand as Lockhart was blasted back. Both Harry and Pandora pointed their wands at Lockhart. 

 

“Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one.”

 

“What do you want me to do? I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do.”

 

“You're in luck.” Harry said, forcing Lockhart to his feet. “We think we know where it is  _ and  _ what's inside.” They went quickly, wands never leaving the teacher.

 

“What are we going to do once we're down there? We're only second years. We can't fight that thing.”

 

“Hopefully, we can just get Ginny and get out.” When they reached Myrtle’s bathroom, Lockhart went first, followed by Harry, Ron, and finally Pandora, who was watching the hall to see if anyone was coming. When she was finally in, Harry and Myrtle were talking. 

 

“I died in this very stall.” Myrtle said, almost enthusiastically.i remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked and I was crying when I heard someone come in. They said something funny. A different language I think it Must've been.” She saw Lockhart shifting uncomfortably. “So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go use his own toilet and then, I  _ died _ .” 

 

“How?” Pandora and Harry said together.

 

“No idea. All I remember was seeing a pair of great yellow eyes. My whole body seized up and I was floating away.” She started talking about Olive again, but Harry interrupted. 

 

“Where exactly did you see the eyes?”

 

“Somewhere over there.” She pointed to the sink. All three ran over to it. It looked like an ordinary sink, save for a tiny snake. “The tap’s never worked.”

 

“Harry.” Ron whispered. “Say something in Parseltongue.” 

 

“But-” Harry looked at the tiny snake for a long moment. “Open up.” 

 

“English.” Pandora said. Then, after a moment, that strange hissing sound came out of Harry’s mouth and the sink moved away, revealing a wide pipe. Harry looked at the pipe, before saying,

 

“I'm going down there.”

 

“Me, too.” Ron said. 

 

“Count me in, too.” There was a pause, so they looked at Lockhart. 

 

“Well, you hardly need me.” He reasoned. “I'll just-” all three of them pointed their wands at him. 

 

“You can go first.” Ron snapped. He was ushered to the opening.

 

“Boys, boys.” Pandora cleared her throat roughly. “Kids, what good will it do?” Angry, she put a hand to the middle of his back, using her whole body to shove him roughly. The problem with that was that she didn't catch herself and tumbled down as well, landing roughly on her back, though not as rough as Lockhart, whose body cushioned her fall. She looked around the dark stone tunnel as Harry and Ron came sliding down as well. Harry looked around, helping her to her feet. 

 

“We must be miles under the school.” Harry observed. 

 

“Under the lake at least.” They pulled out their wands, cast a quick  _ Lumos _ as they looked down the dark tunnel. They began walking, letting their wands be their guide.

 

“Remember. Any movement and you close your eyes. Don't look at it.” She nodded and hoped Ron did too. She was beside Harry, Ron behind her, Lockhart next to him as they walked. 

 

“There's something up there.” Ron whined. In front of them, something dark huge and curved was laying on the ground. Pandora grabbed Harry’s hand as they looked over it. They stepped closer, but it didn't move. “Maybe It's asleep.” It wasn't. 

 

It was a snake skin, at least twenty feet long. Her skin crawled as she looked it over. 

 

Suddenly, there was movement behind them- Lockhart fell to his knees. She rolled her eyes at his actions. “Get up.” Ron snapped, pointing his spell O taped wand. Lockhart did, lunging for Ron’s wand. She sighed in frustration as he explained his plans.  _ Take the snake skin out. Ginny was dead and they all lost their minds at the sight of her body. _

 

He raised the wand high, yelling out  _ Obliviate. _ ” and Ron’s wand exploded. She screamed, diving away from the falling rubble as everyone else did. When Pandora looked up, groggy and disoriented, she noticed the giant pile of rocks in the tunnel. 

 

“Ron!” Came Harry’s panicked voice. “Are you okay? Pan?” 

 

“I'm okay!” Pandora yelled, hoping he heard her. 

 

“I'm okay.” Ron said. “This git’s not though- got blasted with the wand.” She pulled herself to her feet and walked over in time to see Ron kicking Lockhart in the shin. “What now? We can't get through. It'll take ages.”

 

“Wait there. You two wait with Lockhart. I'll go. If I'm not back in an hour-” Harry cut off, not finishing. 

 

“We'll try to shift some of this rock.” Ron stated, seeming less worried than he looked. He ran off, his footsteps fading fast as Ron was moving rocks. 

 

“Step back.” She pulled out her wand as he did, aiming it at the faux wall. “ _ Bombarda!” _ She jumped back. All it did was make more rocks fall into the path. “Okay, so that wasn't a good idea.” She sighed and put her wand away, grabbing the closest rock, and throwing it away. Ron starts from the middle, so she does to. “He'll be okay.”

 

“You don't know that, Pandora.” She took the moment to observe that Harry is one of the only people that shortens her name. 

 

“He's Harry Potter. He's your best friend. Have faith In him.”

 

“Faith against a giant murderous snake?”

 

“Greater miracles have happened.” 

 

Ron was silent for a long time as they shifted rocks out of the way. “He may be my best friend, but I'm not his.” 

 

“What?” She lifted a rather heavy rock and dropped it down. 

 

“You're his best friend. He worries about you most. He talks about making sure you're included and he can't be with you when you're in Ravenclaw tower.”

 

“Why would he need to worry about me?” 

 

“Remember when we changed ourselves to Crabbe and Goyle?” 

 

“At Christmas.” 

 

“Something that Malfoy said has him worried about you.” She remembered. She had used that charm to listen. 

 

“What he said?” She asked instead. 

 

“His slimy git if a father told him to befriend you. Says that you don't know what kind of name you hold.” 

 

She scoffed. “Padma and Percy told me about the Blacks. They weren't good people. I don't want to be in that type of family.” She nudged him with her arm. “Besides, Harry is more my brother than friend.” Ron sighed. “I guess that's because we're both only children. And both orphans maybe.”

 

“You're not an orphan.”

 

“I don't know which Black my father is, and I don't think my mother is a Black either. All of the Blacks are either married off, in prison, or both. So either my father is dead, in prison, or doesn't want me. Same with my mother. Either she's dead, or doesn't want me. I'm an orphan and he's like my brother. You're his best friend.” 

 

That seemed to cheer Ron up slightly and they continued to remove rocks. After a strange sniffle, they both looked back at Lockhart. He was sitting, watching them, teary eyed. “What's your problem?”

 

“Isn't it just so sad? She doesn't have a family.” 

 

“That's common knowledge.” Pandora snapped. “Get here and help us.”

 

“Me?” Lockhart asked, curious.

 

“Yes you, you ponce. Get up here.” He joined them, barely working. 

 

“Say, where are we?”

 

“The Chamber of Secrets.”

 

“What's that?”

 

“Slytherin made it when he made the school.”

 

“Who's the Slytherin fellow?” Pandora and Ron shared a look. 

 

“Can you tell me who that is?” She pointed at Ron.

 

“I don't know. Am I supposed to?” She sighed, clapping her hand over her face. 

 

“Go sit down.” 

 

“I don't think you should-”

 

“Go sit, or I will make you do all if the work.” He easily slid back and sat on the ground. “I can't believe the git got himself  _ Obliviated. _ ”

 

“Let's just get this open so Harry and Ginny can come through.” She smiled as she helped. That meant that he had faith in Harry again. When Ron moved a rock, she saw a small opening. 

 

“You did it!” They took that time to  _ carefully _ begin to peel away the rocks, making the hole bigger. 

 

By the time it was vaguely big enough for an adult person to get through, “Pan, Ron, Ginny’s okay! I've got her.” Pandora hugged Ron tightly before they reached in to pull Ginny through the hole, then Harry. 

 

“”You're alive! I don't believe it!” He hugged his sister as Pandora hugged Harry. She noticed out of the corner of her eye, a bright red and orange. 

 

Turning, she was awestruck by the beautiful feathers of the Phoenix. “Where'd he come from?” 

 

“He's Dumbledore’s.”

 

“Where did you get a sword?” Ron asked, looking at the blade in Harry’s hand. 

 

“I'll explain that when we get out.”

 

“But-”

 

“Later. Where's Lockhart?” They walked towards the tunnel entrance, but Pandora looked down the tunnel through the hole. Something was unsettling about the darkness. She pulled her wand back out, casting a quick  _ Lumos _ , but nothing stuck out. She decided that she didn't want to take chances and cast  _ Bombarda _ causing rocks to fall to the hole they created. She walked back to the crowd and took hold of Lockhart’s robes just as the Phoenix started to fly. 

 

When they landed up in the bathroom, Myrtle sounded disappointed to see them alive. They were lead to McGonagall’s office. Harry knocked and pushed the door open. 


	13. Chapter 13

Pandora was disoriented when someone screamed after they walked in. Mrs. Weasley was there, crying as she flung her arms around her daughter, crying heavily. Pandora noticed that Dumbledore was standing there watching. 

 

All at once, Harry, Ron, and Pandora were swept into her arms, hugged tightly. “You saved her!   _ How _ did you do it?”

 

“I think we'd all like to know.” Professor McGonagall stated. 

 

Harry explained everything. Pandora and Ron were awestruck at what they heard about the basilisk, Tom Riddle, almost dying because of the venom, using the sword to kill it, Fawkes healing him, then finally flying out. 

 

“What interests me most I'd his Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny when my sources tell me he is currently hiding in the forests of Albania.”

 

Something akin to relief crossed Harry’s face and his body relaxed. “it was the diary. Riddle wrote in it when he was sixteen…” Dumbledore inspected the diary, amazed. 

 

“He was the most brilliant brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen.” Pandora was tired. She just wanted to crawl into bed and never wake up. Ginny went to the Hospital Wing, assisted by Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley. Dumbledore told McGonagall to go prepare a feast and Ron to take Lockhart to the Infirmary. It was obvious Dumbledore was trying to get Harry alone.

 

Pandora watched them go, her hands shaking. She didn't understand why she felt so nervous. Biting her nails, she looked at Harry. She found herself shifting from one foot to the other to ease the tension In her legs. 

 

“Miss Pandora. Have you taken your weekly potion?” She flushed, realizing that  _ of course Dumbledore knew _ . 

 

“Why do you ask?”

 

“I've been a headmaster enough to know the signs of anxiety in students. Aptly, the ones who already have problems with it.” Her face went hot. 

 

“It was supposed to be yesterday, but I didn't go  everything was happening.” Harry looked at her and she waved him off. 

 

“You should go see Madam Pomfrey.” She nodded and walked out of the room, but didn't go farther than outside, in the hallway. As she waited, she say a familiar head of white-blonde hair. He stopped before her, watching her. Pandora tried to will her hands to stop shaking. 

 

“You must be Pandora. I've heard about you.”

 

“And I've heard about you. I saw you pick a fight with the Weasley’s in the book store.”

 

“So you're friends with those muggle lovers?”

 

“Use that as an insult to me again and I'll show you how actually fight like a muggle. You won't get away from it with only a split lip.” He smirked and it unsettled Pandora.

 

“You have the ferocity of your father.” 

 

“It sucks that I don't know him, then, doesn't it.” She wasn't going to back down. 

 

“Oh, you'll know him eventually, I'm sure. It's a shame. You would make a great witch if you would drop those muggles.” He passed her, followed by a gray  _ something _ . She waited for Harry to exit, so when the door opened and the older Malfoy billowed out, she jumped back. Harry ran after him with the diary in his hands. She watched as he handed it to him, then Malfoy tossed a slimy sock to the grey thing that was near them. 

 

“You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter.” Pandora made to walk to them, but Harry put his hand up, stopping her. Malfoy turned to leave. “Come, Dobby. I said,  _ come _ .” When Dobby didn't move, the small thing looked at the sock with a look of pure amazement. Pandora walked up finally, just as Malfoy lunged at Harry, screaming about a servant. 

 

All at once, there was a loud bang and the adult was thrown backwards down the stairs. Harry and Dobby talked for a moment before Dobby disappeared. “What was that?”

 

“A house elf. They're servants for wizard families.”

 

“That's so tragic. And they have no say?”

 

“No.” They made their way to the feast. Hermione was the first one to walk up to them, yelling about how they solved it. When she kissed Pandora's cheek, her whole body got hot with the blush and she couldn't look anyone in the eye. She freely sat at the Gryffindor table and no one seemed to mind. Hagrid came back, and Gryffindor won the house cup, Pandora standing and cheering with the table. 

  
  


Defense against the Dark Arts was canceled since there was no teacher, Lucius Malfoy wasn't the school Governor anymore - Not that Pandora even knew he was in the first place- and Draco didn't act so high and mighty anymore. Everything was fine until they made it to the Hogwarts Express. Pandora was slightly behind everyone, and her arm was tugged. She looked over to see Draco, Blaise, and Pansy sitting together. “Why don't you sit with us.”

 

She knew what he was doing. He was probably told to get on her good side. They wanted her to sit with purebloods. “No thanks. I'm perfectly content sitting with people who don't have a stick up their ass.” she nodded to the other two, then made her way to the booth where Harry sat. 

 

When the train pulled into the station, Pandora walked Harry to his Aunt and Uncle. “Get away, you.” His uncle huffed at her. “We will not be associating with  _ your kind _ ever again.” He shooed her away, just as her father walked up. 

 

“Excuse me, that was pretty rude.” He snapped. 

 

“It's just a precaution. I'm sure you understand.”

 

“Understand? You nearly hit my daughter. It's bad enough that you treat your own family like a piece of dirt, which it's amazing that no one has called the  _ police _ from how you treat him, but you don't have to treat others like that, too.”

 

“So you're one of  _ those _ types. Like her having that  _ weirdness. _ ”

 

“If you're meaning to say I'm proud of the person I've raised, and that I'm not ashamed of who she is, then yes. I'm one of those types. If anything,  _ you _ should be ashamed at how you treat him. He is a wonderful boy who has done nothing to deserve the mockery that you call raising a child.” She looked at her father. He had never raised his voice before. Hell, he'd never talked to anyone like that before. “Harry, if you ever want to come to our house, you're more than welcome.” With a final scowl to his uncle, Pandora and her father walked away. 

 

They walked up to Hermione, who was with her parents. “I'll see you soon, okay? Make sure to come and visit.”

 

“I will, I promise.” When she kissed Pandora's cheek, she flushed red again. On the way back to the car, her father spoke. 

 

“Kelly isn't here today. Urgent business.”

 

“Why? Is something wrong?”

 

“No, she's in an interview about taking her business further.”

 

“What's that mean?”

 

“She's getting a raise.” Pandora looked up with stars In her eyes. 

 

“Really? That's amazing! I bet she's super happy.” They climbed in and Pandora was allowed to sit in the passenger seat. “Hey, Dad.” 

 

“Yes?”

 

Do you… know who my first dad was?” She didn't look directly at him. 

 

“I… do… We were told when we adopted you.”

 

“Could you tell me?” He nodded, but didn't speak. She figured that he wanted to wait for her mum. That was okay. No matter what, Kelly and Howard would be her parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it probably isn't that great, but I've been losing steam when writing, but i am trying my hardest not to give up. Thank you to the people who are actually reading it, and I promise that the future will be better.


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